National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Ceramics and Glass Search this
Extent:
0.1 Cubic feet (1 box, 29 microfiche sheets)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Microfiche
Catalogs
Business records
Date:
1909-1940
Scope and Contents:
This collection is divided into two series, Catalogs and Photographs, on fifty nine (59) microfiche sheets. These are photographic reproductions of catalogs of Imperial Glass Products from 1909 to 1912 and of several photographs showing Imperial Glass Company products, their stock numbers and rulers indicating size. Some of these photos are hand painted. Many of the catalogs have no dates and are arranged by number and type. A few of them have prices noted throughout and were presumably used by salesmen at the company. There is one catalog from The Central Glass Works of Wheeling, Virginia, one of the companies that Imperial purchased. There are General Catalogs, "Bargain Book" catalogs, a Special Catalog of Hand Engraved and Sand Blasted Glassware and a Special Catalog of Plain and Engraved Gas and Electric Glassware.
Arrangement:
Divided into two series.
Series 1: Catalogues
Series 2: Photographs
Historical:
The Imperial Glass Company was established in 1901 in Bellaire, Ohio. The company's first pieces were produced for the mass market for stores like Kresge's and McCrory's; they produced jelly glasses, pressed tumblers, butter dishes, pickle dishes, berry bowls, and a variety of other tableware.
With the introduction of machine-pressed glassware in 1910, the market expanded. Imperial Glass Company began producing "NUART" iridescent ware in colors of "rubigold, peacock, sapphire, rose satin, blue satin, iris ice, blue ice, and rose ice." The company began making "NUCUT" crystal ware, which was pressed glass made to reproduce early English pressed glass.
"Imperial Jewels," introduced in 1916, were free-hand iridescent "stretch glass" pieces. In 1922 the company imported a shop of Venetian glassmakers to what the company labeled Imperial "Art Glass." Catalogue 103G states on page 3-G, "these wares are covered with heavy deposits of various metal oxides, which make them nearly opaque in appearance. The enormous heat, necessary to develop these colors, cannot be regulated mathematically, and therefore there are scarcely two pieces alike, even when manufactured apparently in the same manner and under the same conditions." These pieces, mostly bowls, nappies, berry bowls, and nut bowls, are in colors of pearl green, pearl white, pearl ruby, and pearl amethyst.
The Depression and the influx of machine glass companies combined to push Imperial Glass Co. into bankruptcy in 1931, although the plant continued to operate after it went into receivership.
The company in 1940 started an acquisitions program and bought a series of other companies including the Central Glass Works of Wheeling, Virginia, (est. 1860). In 1958 Imperial Glass purchased molds from the Heisey Co. (est.1885) and bought the Cambridge Glass Co. (est. 1873). The firm became a subsidiary of Lenox China Inc. in 1973.
In June 1984 Imperial Glass went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The plant closed August 31, 1984, and the company's assets were taken over by Lancaster Colony Corporation, Columbus, Ohio.
Provenance:
Collection donated by the Corning Museum of Glass.
Restrictions:
No original material in this collection at the present time. Researchers must view microfiche copies.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Fisher, Bruce & Company, importers of china, earthenware, and glassware, were located on Market Street, Philadelphia. The collection contains catalog pages and price lists for china, earthenware, and glassware imported from Belgium, Britain, France, and Italy, and some American ceramics.
Scope and Contents:
This collection primarily contains catalog pages and pricelists for china, earthenware, and glassware imported from Belgium, Britain, France, and Italy, as well as some American ceramics. The catalog pages consist of color photographs of numbered ceramic items; the pricelists are separate pages keyed to the same numbers. These records, which date from 1939 1940, are arranged in separate folders by nationality.
The Belgian material consists of one catalog page of glassware. The British catalog pages depict Aynsley bone china (breakfast and tea sets), Grimwades earthenware, and "Toby" mugs of U.S. General McArthur and British General Wavell. The French catalog pages show "Quimper" design faience as well as other china and earthenware pieces. The Italian ceramics are primarily earthenware breakfast sets, bowls, baskets, vases, and donkey figures. There is also some Venetian glassware. The U.S. catalog pages show china breakfast sets and other tableware.
In addition, a photoprint in the collection shows the firm's building, ca. 1920s; a second photoprint shows a 1920s display of Pyrex ovenware in one of the building's display windows.
Biographical / Historical:
Fisher, Bruce & Company, importers of china, earthenware, and glassware, were located on Market Street in Philadelphia. The firm dates back at least to the year 1880, when it was known as Atherholt, Fisher & Company, and was located at 519 Market Street. The principals in the firm were Thomas C. Atherholt, Samuel Fisher, and his son, Joseph G. A. Fisher. By 1885 the company's name had changed to Fisher, Son & Company. By 1889, after the addition of George H. Ruth to the firm, its name had changed to Fisher, Son & Ruth. The following year, probably following the death of Samuel Fisher, Worthington Bruce joined the firm, and its name was changed to Fisher, Bruce & Company. In the same year the firm relocated to 221 Market Street.
The company continued to prosper in its Market Street location, which extended back to Church Street. By 1930, the adjoining building at 219 Market Street was purchased. The ground floors of numbers 219 221 were used as a showroom and the company's offices were located upstairs. The company stayed in the Fisher family's hands for the remainder of its existence, with E. Monroe Fisher as President of the firm beginning in 1930. In the 1970s the company was sold and the business relocated to New Jersey.
Provenance:
These records were donated to the Division of Domestic Life in February 1990 by Mr. Carl Gatter. His father, Herman L. Gatter, had been employed by Fisher, Bruce, for many years. The records were transferred to the Archives Center in March 1990.
Restrictions:
Unrestricted research use on site by appointment.
Probable copyright restrictions.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
